Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Development of a Neonatal Piglet Acute Lung Injury Model Recreating the Early Environment of Preterm Infant Lungs
08:58

Development of a Neonatal Piglet Acute Lung Injury Model Recreating the Early Environment of Preterm Infant Lungs

Published on: October 31, 2025

Reduced lung function in healthy preterm infants in the first months of life

Luciana Friedrich1, Renato T Stein, Paulo M C Pitrez

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
|December 3, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Premature infants show reduced lung function early in life, with lower expiratory flows detected in the first months. Male sex, lower gestational age, and higher birth weight are linked to these impaired lung function outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal physiology
  • Pediatric respiratory medicine
  • Pulmonary function testing

Background:

  • Preterm birth is linked to increased respiratory issues later in life, even without neonatal respiratory disease.
  • Studies indicate reduced lung function in children and adolescents born prematurely.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate lung function in healthy preterm infants during their initial months of life.
  • To identify early indicators of respiratory compromise in this population.

Main Methods:

  • Recruited preterm infants receiving <48 hours of supplemental oxygen.
  • Assessed lung function using raised-volume rapid thoracic compression.
  • Compared results with a control group of full-term infants without respiratory history.

Main Results:

  • Preterm infants exhibited significant reductions in expiratory flows: FEF(50) by 22%, FEF(25-75) by 21%, and FEV(0.5) by 28% compared to full-term infants.
  • These flow reductions remained statistically significant after adjusting for lung volume.
  • In preterm infants, male sex, lower gestational age, and increased weight were independently associated with reduced expiratory flows.

Conclusions:

  • Prematurity is an independent factor associated with reduced lung function detectable in early infancy.
  • Specific factors like male sex, lower gestational age, and higher birth weight predict poorer expiratory flow measurements in preterm infants.
Abstract

Related Concept Videos

Breathing01:05

Breathing

The process of breathing, inhaling and exhaling, involves the coordinated movement of the chest wall, the lungs, and the muscles that move them. Two muscle groups with important roles in breathing are the diaphragm, located directly below the lungs, and the intercostal muscles, which lie between the ribs. When the diaphragm contracts, it moves downward, increasing the volume of the thoracic cavity and creating more room for the lungs to expand. When the intercostal muscles contract, the ribs...
Pulmonary Cycle: Exhalation01:17

Pulmonary Cycle: Exhalation

In terms of human respiration, the act of expelling air, known as exhalation (or expiration), operates on the principle of pressure gradients. During expiration, the pressure within the lungs exceeds that of the surrounding atmosphere. Under normal conditions, quiet breathing involves passive exhalation and is free of muscular contractions. This is because the exhalation process is driven by the natural elastic recoil of the lungs and chest wall, both of which have an inherent tendency to...
Atelectasis II: Pathophysiology01:10

Atelectasis II: Pathophysiology

Atelectasis develops when alveoli lose their air and collapse inward. Because lung tissue is naturally elastic, these air sacs shrink rather than remaining open. Collapsed alveoli are no longer ventilated, reducing their role in gas exchange. Blood flow may continue in these regions, creating a ventilation–perfusion mismatch. Clinical findings include decreased breath sounds, dullness to percussion, reduced chest expansion, and decreased tactile fremitus as sound transmission through collapsed...
Acute Respiratory Failure-II01:21

Acute Respiratory Failure-II

Type I Respiratory Failure, or hypoxemic respiratory failure, occurs when the partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) in arterial blood falls below 60 mmHg while breathing room air without a corresponding increase in arterial carbon dioxide levels (PaCO2). This condition highlights a significant impairment in the lungs' capacity to oxygenate the blood.
The underlying physiological abnormalities that contribute to hypoxemic respiratory failure include:
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease III: Chronic Bronchitis Features01:24

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease III: Chronic Bronchitis Features

Chronic bronchitis is a key phenotype of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), characterized by airway-centered inflammation and mucus overproduction. It develops from long-term exposure to harmful particles or gases, most commonly cigarette smoke, which triggers a persistent inflammatory response.Cellular and Structural ChangesInflammation initially affects the large bronchi and later the smaller airways, with infiltration by immune cells, including neutrophils, macrophages, and...
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease II: Emphysema01:23

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease II: Emphysema

Emphysema, a major phenotype of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is characterized by irreversible destruction of alveolar walls and permanent enlargement of distal airspaces. Unlike chronic bronchitis, which primarily affects the airways, emphysema predominantly involves the lung parenchyma, where structural damage leads to airflow limitation.PathophysiologyIt most commonly results from prolonged exposure to cigarette smoke and other toxic gases, particularly cigarette smoke.